Frank Lampard could have Chelsea transfer conflict with Marina Granovskaia over one target

Chelsea are interested in signing Andre Onana but Frank Lampard may not be granted his wish.

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard could have a conflict with director Marina Granovskaia over signing Andre Onana this summer, says transfer expert Duncan Castles. Lampard is interested in signing Ajax goalkeeper Onana after a difficult season for Blues stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga. The Spaniard was dropped in February before returning to the Chelsea side just before football was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, Chelsea would have to sell Kepa first, something Lampard and Granovskaia may disagree over.

"Chelsea would have to sell Kepa, Tottenham would have to let their goalkeeper go, Barcelona would have to sell [Marc Andre] Ter Stegen," Castles said on the Transfer Window podcast.

"That's in none of those teams' plans, they're not actively trying to move their goalkeeper on, with the exception you could argue of Chelsea where you have Frank Lampard who hasn't got faith in Kepa and I think would be open to letting Kepa go if a buyer can be taken.

"But that is a potential point of conflict with Marina Granovskaia who of course sanctioned what remains a record transfer fee for a goalkeeper when they brought Kepa in as a replacement for Thibaut Courtois and would not like to be seen to take a big loss on the player.

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"Onana's stance is I'm told pretty relaxed because he has a contract that runs for just two more years.

"He would be open to leaving this summer were one of those clubs, or if another top-level European club were to come in with an interesting offer.

"But he's in no rush to do so, he's in a strong position in a sense that with two years left on his contract he can take the path of allowing the contract to run down with a view of moving as a free agent in 2022, or wait and see if a big club comes in with an offer in the medium term.

"Obviously by next summer the kind of fee that Ajax would be able to request for the player would be even further diminished, which would allow Onana to secure a bigger salary wherever he goes to."